Roger Miller loves to rub elbows with NFL elite

For the first time in a quarter of a century, Roger Miller won’t be volunteering during Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival weekend.

For the first time in a quarter of a century, Roger Miller won’t be volunteering during Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival weekend.

He’s got a pretty strong excuse. “My daughter’s getting married Aug. 4 in Denver, so I won’t be there,” he said.

He started as a volunteer with two years on the Pin Committee, which oversees distribution of the official festival pins. then he joined what evolved into Special Services Committee.

“The good thing about Special Services is we get involved in every event,” he said.

The most interesting part of his duties involve putting enshrinees and their presenters, hall of famers and personalities into their convertibles, to ride up the parade route. It takes coordination along the route. “We try to make sure they’re only waiting for about five minutes or less,” he said.

There are odd memories of what happens after the committee hosts the breakfast at the AEP building.

“One time we put a Hall of Famer in his car, and it must have been a new driver, because, instead of turning onto Sixth Street SE (to get to Cleveland Avenue) he went straight down the alley (DeWalt Avenue) and somebody had to chase him and stop him,” Miller said.

John Riggins always was known as a maverick. When he was inducted, his presenter was NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

“I didn’t think they knew each other,” Miller said. “Somebody asked him why, and he said, ‘When you get married, you get the pope, so when you get inducted, you get the commissioner.’ ”

There are touching moments. When Steelers center Mike Webster was enshrined, his presenter was his former quarterback, Terry Bradshaw.

“Webster was an absolute wreck that morning,” Miller said. “Terry Bradshaw put his arm around his shoulder and took him down into a room and worked with him for about 20 minutes on his speech.

“He was shaking like a leaf.”

It’s all rewarding, Miller said.

“The best part of the day is when all the enshrinees are en route and our work is done.”